1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a tray-type connecting module for electronic memory cards, and especially to such a module connecting an electronic memory card at least from those cards such as a Compact Flash Card, a Smart Media card, a MultiMedia card, a Secure Digital card and a Memory Stick card with an electric circuit board to make two way data transmission for reading and writing between the electronic memory card and the circuit board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional connector for an electronic memory card 2 having a slot is provided on an electric circuit board provided in a housing 1 (as shown in FIG. 1); the slot of the housing 1 is for insertion and extraction of the electronic memory card 2. When the electronic memory card 2 is inserted into the slot of the housing 1, it can be electrically connected with the memory card connector in the housing 1, and can be electrically connected with the electric circuit board provided in the housing 1 through the memory card connector.
The electronic memory card 2 can be any of various specifications (at least includes one of Compact Flash Card, Smart Media cards, MultiMedia cards, Secure Digital cards and Memory Stick cards); it has on different positions thereof several input/output pins but with a common using mode, namely, in the course that the electronic memory card 2 is inserted into the slot of the housing 1, the input/output pins are frictionally contacting with a plurality of elastic pins in the memory card connector; when the electronic memory card 2 is inserted in position, they are tightly contacted with the elastic pins in the memory card connector.
In other words, during the course of insertion and extraction of the electronic memory card 2, the input/output pins are continuously rubbing on the elastic pins in the memory card connector, after a long period, the input/output pins of the electronic memory card 2 are subjected to damage by rubbing. And once the electronic memory card 2 is damaged, the entire electronic memory card 2 can not be used to thereby result loss of important data. Such a large defect gets more and more significant under gradually getting popularized of the electronic memory card 2. In view of this, the inventor of the present invention studied the connecting relationship between the electronic memory card and the memory card connector, and develops the tray-type connecting module for electronic memory cards of the present invention.
Particularly, the tray-type connecting module for electronic memory cards of the present invention is comprised of a base placed on an electric circuit board and a tray openable and closable by sliding on the base. Wherein the bottom of the base is provided with a plurality of through holes in opposition to a plurality of connecting points on the electric circuit board. The bottom of the tray is provided in corresponding to the through holes with a plurality of pins; when the tray is moved to slide for opening in order to receive an electronic memory card, the pins contact with the input/output pins on the electronic memory card; and when the tray is moved to slide for closing, the pins of the tray are in alignment with the through holes, and are electrically connected with the connecting points on the electric circuit board.
The main object of the present invention is: after the above stated electronic memory card is received in the tray, by sliding of the tray to its proper position, the pins of the tray are electrically connected with the connecting points on the electric circuit board via the through holes. Hence, during the course of placing the electronic memory card on the memory card connector, the input/output pins will not rub the pins of the memory card connector, damage by rubbing of the input/output pins can be avoided, and thereby life of use of the electronic memory card can be prolonged.
The secondary object of the present invention is: during the course of placing the electronic memory card on the memory card connector, the input/output pins will not be rubbed in sliding by the memory card connector, the orientation of placing of the electronic memory card is not limited. Electronic memory cards of different specifications can commonly use the receiving space in the memory card connector. Thereby, a memory card connector can receive any of multiple electronic memory cards with different specifications; this indirectly allows communication of the data among the multiple electronic memory cards with different specifications.
Another object of the present invention is: the tray is provided on the front edge thereof with a limiting member for automatically pressing and holding the electronic memory card in position when the electronic memory card is placed on the memory card connector. When the electronic memory card is to be taken out, the limiting member relieves the electronic memory card from its proper position for easy taking out, thereby an object of convenience for use can be achieved.